Transom and mainsheet arrangements

Posted By: dick
Date: 3/11/07 8:21p.m.

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In Response To: transom (carlos)

Gents, I have rebuilt a mid-70s Newport. I originally set up the transom-mounted mainsheet and found it to be a huge pain in the neck to use: the tiller and the sheet got tangled; tacking was always a hassle. So, since I had rebuilt the housing for the keel winch, I mounted a swivel base and 3 part mainsheet block assembly on it, moved the attachment point on the boom to mid-boom, and all is well. Not only does it keep the sheet itself away from the tiller; it allows me to stay put when I tack, not having to slide back to deal with a tangled sheet. This makes the boat sail better. She's quite sensitive to fore and aft trim, as I'm sure you've noticed. It also acts a bit like a vang, to keep the sail flatter. If I could figure out how to attach a photo to this email, I'd post a photo of this arrangement. It's very efficent. Dick